The Donkeys - Photo: Jeff Wenzel

First of all, I know I've been out of touch lately, with hardly any posts up, so let me apologize for my absence, but also suggest that you check out some of the other great sources of music we have linked to in our "Links" section off to the side whenever we're out of the office.

Second, and more importantly, Living On The Other Side, this new album by The Donkeys, is a must listen for fans of good Americana music. And guess what: they're playing Wednesday night right here at the Mohawk in Austin on the second stop of their cross-country tour supporting the new album.

The Donkeys are experts at musical progress, channeling the music of their elders with pride while still making considerable creative progress in their own right. Owing their musical direction to time-tested Americana traditions, most of the album tends to sounds vaguely familiar to the undiscerning listener, like a Blues record that got lost in an extensive collection, unheard for years. That sense of familiarity is the genius of a band like The Donkeys: it's clearly not a ripoff - you can never put my finger on exactly which band they sound like - but it embraces the spirit of its influences (the ones Americana has been preaching for years), placing that spirit at the album's core and building freshly from their. It's no surprise then that even with repeated listens there is still that sense of familiarity and Americana identity.

To describe the band any further would probably do their music even more of an injustice, so I'll hand it over to The Donkeys after the jump, where you can download "Walk Through A Cloud" and "Nice Train" straight off the new album. If you like what you hear, be sure to head out to the show tonight at the Mohawk. They'll be playing with local acts Golden Bear and Visitors (who also come highly recommended).

Music, tour dates and more after the jump.

Tunes:

Donkeys - "Nice Train"

Donkeys - "Walk Through A Cloud"

Info:

Living On The Other Side is available 9/9/08 on Dead Oceans.

The Donkeys Fall 2008 Tour Dates:

09/02/08 Denton, TX - Rubber Gloves

09/03/08 Austin, TX - Mohawk

09/04/08 Houston, TX - Rudyard's Pub

09/06/08 Birmingham, AL - Bottle Tree

09/08/08 Charlotte, NC - Thirsty Beaver

09/09/08 Philadelphia, PA - M Room

09/10/08 Cambridge, MA - The Middle East Upstairs

09/11/08 Brooklyn, NY - Union Pool

09/12/08 New York, NY - The Cake Shop

09/13/08 Purchase, NY - The Stood

09/14/08 Rochester, NY - Bug Jar

09/15/08 Bloomington, IN - Cinemat

09/16/08 Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge

09/18/08 Des Moines, IA - Vaudville Mews

09/19/08 Lawrence, KS - Replay Lounge

09/20/08 Denver, CO - Larimer Lounge

09/21/08 Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court

09/23/08 Seattle, WA - Sunset Tavern

09/24/08 Portland, OR - Someday Lounge

09/25/08 San Francisco, CA - Hemlock Tavern